Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of engineering physics and, in particular, to X-ray scanning for dangerous or prohibited objects or substances located (or hidden) inside a mattress of an inmate in a penitentiary institution.
Description of the Related Art
Human body X-ray scanning for identifying some highly undesirable objects or substances has become critically important in view of terrorist threats. Security applications may include prevention of smuggling of drugs, precious stones and metals, as well as provision of the security at airports, banks, embassies, nuclear power centers, prisons and other high-risk locations. X-ray luggage examination in airports is currently the most efficient way to provide security of the flights. X-ray examination is also used in prisons for visitor's access control.
However, mattresses of the prison inmates are still routinely checked and searched for presence of weapons and illegal substances manually. The inmates are ordered to leave their cells and the guards perform a manual search of their cells, which includes a manual inspection of the mattresses being the most likely a hiding place for weapons or drugs. In some institutions, inmates are ordered out of the cells with their mattresses rolled up for inspection (or scanning) in a special area. This is inconvenient and inefficient. A special portable mattress X-ray scanner, which can be brought into the ward for scanning the mattresses, would make the job of the prison officers more convenient and efficient.
A similar issue exists when inmates are being transferred from one floor to another or routinely shifted to another block. The inmates have to move with mattress and all belongings they might have—and, again, the inspection of the mattresses needs to be carried out.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a safe, mobile X-ray scanner system that can be rolled into a facility, ward, floor or block of cells, for efficiently scanning the inmates' mattresses and for automatically detecting weapons or illegal substances hidden within the mattresses. Also such machine can be deployed in the mattress processing or storage compartment to insure that no prohibited items being transferred no matter intentionally or not.
The approach explained above is suitable for other institutions such as detention centers, homeless shelters, orphanages, etc., where a high risk of contraband of illegal items exists.